Feeding head for reciprocating or jigging conveyers



July 31, 1994. G. H. ERSBARGER 1,998,249

FEEDING HEAD FOR RECIPROCATING OR JIGGING CONVEYERS Original Filed March 21, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 G. yl-l. ERNSBARGER` l1,968,249;v

July 3l, 1934.

FEEDING HEAD FOR RECIPROCATING OR JIGGING CONVEYERS Original Filed MarchA 21. ,1951

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 31, 1934' G. H. ERNSBRGER 1,968,249

FEEDING HEAD FOR RECIPROCATING OR JIGGING CONIEYERS Original Filed March 2l. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 3l, 1934. s. H. ERNSBARGER 1,968,249

FEEDING HEAD FOR RECIPROCATING OR JIGGING CONVEYERS Original Filed March 21, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 @Zwan 'Q #Hor/7g4( Patented July 31, 1934 siren STATES istanti FEEDING kHEI-1D FOR BCECIPRO-CATINGA OR JIGGING CONVEYERS George Hr Ernsbarger, Huntington Parli, Calif-f., assigner tof Goodman: Manufacturing. Company, Chica-go,v Ill-f., a corporation of Illinois Application March 21, 1931, Serial No. 524,279 Renewed October 14, 1933' 14 claims., (c1, 19a-220) This invention relates to improvements in feedingwheads for reciprocating or jigging conveyers of the type used for gathering and transporting loose` material such asv coal, rock or the like.

More specifically, my invention relates to. imprcvements in feeding heads infwh-ich the ex tension and retraction of thetelescoping trough section is controlled. through friction devices carried by the feeding head and engageable and d-lsengageable with.v said trough section at will. during certain periods of the forward andV rearward stroke of the feeding head .and main conveyer.

The object of the present invention is to pro-- vide an improved and simplified construction of feeding head especially designed for work inV places having. relatively low head room or vertical clearance.. A further object is, to provide an auxiliary friction device operableto assist the feeding movement when operating upon. an up grade or incline where gravity tends to oppose. normal extension of the trough section and shovelv carried. thereby.

Other objects of my invention will appear from 'time to time as the following description. proceeds.

The invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in. which Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a feeding 'head attached to the forward end of a reciprocating conveyer, showing the extensible trough andv digging shovel in retracted position and the manually controlled clamp-ing devices in one .locked position.` Certain. parts of the feeding head are bro-kenaway to show details of construction;

Figure 2 is an. enlarged section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

-lfigure 3 is a top plan View of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2, but drawn tothe same scale as Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the manually controlled clam-ping, device in unlocked position;

Figure 5 is a view similar to` Figure l, but showing the manually controlled clamping device in another locked position;

Figure 6 is an enlarged section taken on line 6 6 of Figure 1; and

Figure 'l isan enlarged detail of the auxiliary y clamping device, or tail blocks.

Referring now to details of construction of the t embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, the main elements thereof consist of 'a reciprocating conveyerftrough section 10, 'a

feeding head l1, and an extensible trough section 1.2 having a flared gathering shovel 13 integrally carried atits forward end in the usual manner...

The feeding head has a shoe 14v supported for 60 sliding engagementl on the; ground or floor upon which the apparatus rests, and is provided with two upstanding side frame members 15, 16. The. feeding head is suitably connected for reciprocating or jigrging action with lthe main conveyer trough 10. As herein shown, the main conveyer trough` is .provided on its under .face with a pair of laterally spaced elongated eyes 17, 17 of the. form usually employed in connecting adjacent trough sections together, but in the present in- 70 stance the eyes 17, 1'7 are disposed between two pairs of upright flanges 19,y 20 rigid with the side frames 15, 16, and the connecting bolts 18, 18I extend longitudinally through said flanges and eyes. at each side. of the feeder head to rigidly` 75 secure the latter to the main conveyer.

The extensible trough section 12 `is partially nested Within the forward endof the main conveyer trough 10, but is supported for relatively free longitudinal sliding movement relative to 80 said conveyer and the feeding head by suitable anti-friction devices, herein comprising a hori-y zontal roller 22 carried on upright bearing supports 23, 23 integral with the shoe 14 near the forward end of the feeding head. The extensible 5 trough section is provided with laterally extending plates 25, 25 along each side thereof which are engaged by a pair of overhanging rollers 24,y 24 mounted in brackets 24a, 24a at the forward end of the upright frames 15, 16. f

The friction braking means for manually controlling the relative movement between the shovel and the feeding head comprises two sets of friction blocks, each set consisting of blocks 29, mounted on a carrier 31, two of which are provided, one at each side of the extensible trough 5 l2 and in advance of the feeding head. The construction of the carriers 3l and their respective sets of friction blocks 29, 30 being similar, a description of one will apply to both.

Each carrier has a vertically disposed slot 33 open at one side at 34 so as to be substantially C-shaped in transverse section, as shown in Figure 2. The adjacent plate 25 of the extensibletrough extends into the side opening 34, and the blocks 29 and 30 are disposed within the slot 33 above and below said plate.y Said blocks are pivotally mounted on horizontal pins 29a,y and 30a, respectively. The upper pin 29a is preferably mounted in a vertically disposed slot 29h, and. has a pair of set screws 35, 35 arranged to pro# 1m 50 ing position.

When in operation, either clamping position 5 the inner face of the plate 25 to retain the carrier on the latter, as clearly shown in Figure 2.

The two carriers 3l are each supported in generally upright position in advance of the feeding head by a horizontally disposed link 37 pivoted lo at its forward end to a lug 38 integral with said^ carrier. The link 37 is pivoted at its rear end to the adjacent side frame, preferably by means of a rearwardly yieldable connection, herein cornprising a plunger 39 which extends into a horizontally disposed cylinder 40 formed integral with the adjacent side frame 15 or 1G. Said plunger engages a suitable yielding member in said cylinder; as, for instance, a rubber block 41, as shown in Figures 1 and 7. The position of the rubber block 41 may be adjusted by means of a set screw 42. The purpose of the yielding connection just described will hereinafter more fully appear.

The carriers are provided with manual control means for oscillating them into position inclined one way or the other (see Figs. 1 and 5) so as to clamp the blocks 29, on their respective plates 25, or in an intermediate upright position (see Fig. 4) in which the blocks are released from their frictional engagement, to permit the extensible 30' trough and shovel to slide freely relative to the feeding head.

The control means herein illustrated comprises a pair of handles or levers 45, 45 carried on the opposite ends of a shaft 46 extending transversely of the feeding head beneath the extensible trough,

said handles being provided in duplicate so that the apparatus can be operated from either side. The shaft 46 has a pair of levers 47, 47, each of which is connected with an upwardly arched link 48 extending forwardly and pivotally connected to the lower end of the adjacent carrier 31.

The control mechanism is such, that when the levers are swung forwardly, as in Figure 1, the carriers 31, 31 are inclined rearwardly into one 5^ clamping position; when the levers 45 are in upright position, as in Figure 4, the carriers are inv upright, unclamped position, and when the levers are swung rearwardly, as in Figure 5, said carriers are inclined forwardly in a second clampshown in Figures 1 and 5 may be employed. The arrangement is such, however, that under certain conditions the position shown in Figure 5 may be qpreferred, due to the shape and arrangement of the arched operating links 48. It will be noted in Figure 5 that the rear pivcted end of each of said links may be drawn downwardly by lever 47 beyond a position of dead center on a line ex- G- tending through the axis of shaft 46 and the point Y of pivotal connection between the carrier and the front end of said operating link, and thus produce, in eiect, a toggle-action which tends toV maintain the blocks in clamping position, without requiring working pressure on the handle by the operator, so long as said handle is held down with the links 48 over dead center, as shown.

Furthermore, in the clamping position shown in Figure 5, it will be observed thatthe yielding sup- 7 ports for carriers 31, including plungers 39 and rubber blocks 41, are arranged so in the event that the shovel meets with any excessive resist-v movement of the entire conveyer, the carriers 31 'J3-may be tilted rearwardly against their yielding connection so as to reduce the clamping action of the blocks, and permit the extensible trough to slip rearwardly in the feeding head, thus automatically relieving the apparatus from excessive stresses.

'The manual controll mechanism above described is suflicient under most conditions to provide the desired clamping action for extending or retracting the trough by alternately clamping andi releasing the blocks 29, 30 at the proper periods of jigging movement of the main conveyer, in the normal manner well known to those skilled in the art.

When operating with the shovel extended along ascending grades, it has been found that the effect of gravity is often suicient to destroy the normal feeding ,operation of the device, due to the tendency of the 'shovel to drop back with the feeding head on each return stroke of the main conveyer, even though the friction devices are released from the extensible trough at the proper part of the stroke. j

In order to'insure proper feeding under such conditions, I provide an auxiliary'friction device or tail block at the rear of the feeding head, as indicated generally at 50, and including a pair of friction blocks 51, 52 mountedV on a vcarrier 53- wardly along said arm. Accil spring 58 is" Y mounted on the Vrear end of said arm and is interposed between the rear end of bracket 57 and a'stop 59 carried on the extreme end of said arm. The tension of spring '58 may be adjusted by nut 59a threaded on the end'of said arm and -serving to retain stop 59 thereon. 1

Referring now to the operation of the' auxiliary friction device or tail block 50, it will be understood that it works-'more' or less automatically in conjunction with the manuahy operated carriers' tilted rearwardly by friction of the blocks 51 andl 52, and becomes fully clampedV on the plate or bar 25, as indicated in Figure 4. After becoming so clamped, further4 forward movement of tlie feeding head causes rearward bodily movement of the carrier 53, pin 54,' and bracket 57 against the tension of spring 58, As soon as the spring is compressed sufficiently, the shovel is carried forward in unison with 'the feeding head and main conveyer through the remainder of the forward stroke, but with the spring 58 under considerable compression. In order to in sure the forward p movement of the shovel afterthe spring has been Y, compressed, the front blocks 29, 30 may also be ance or a solid obstruction during the forwardV clamped on the plates 2 5 by operating one ofthe handles 45.

When the'conveyerrreaches `the end Ofits forv48. In a feeding head for a jiggingl conveyer and in combination with an extensible trough, a clamping device comprising a carrier in advance of said feedinghead having a pair'of opposed friction blocks pvotally connected thereto and disposed above and below a portion of said ex tensible trough7 a horizontally disposed link pivotally connected to said carrier intermediate the pivotal connections of said friction blocks, longitudinally yielding means connecting the rear end of said link to said feeding head7 andmanually controlled devices for rocking-said carrier into and out of inclined clamping vposition relative to said extensible trough including a link extending between the lower endof said carrier and a rock-I ing member pivoted on said feeding head adjacent the bottom thereof, and manual Icontrol means for said rocking member. -V

9. In a feeding head `for a jigging conveyor and in combination with an extensible trough, ,a clamping device comprising-a carrier in advance of, said feeding head having a pair ofopposed friction blocks pvotally connected thereto and' disposed above and below. aportion of said-extensible trough, a horizontally disposed link piv.- otally connected to said .carrier adjacent 'said friction blocks; compression Vmeans interposed bee tween the rear end of said link'and saidhead, and manually controlled devices disposed beneath said link and connected to the lower portion ofy said carrier for rocking said carrier withsaid link' acting as a floating fulcrum, into vand out of inclined clamping position relative-to said extensible trough.

10, In a feeding head for a'jigging conveyer and in combination with an extensible trough; a

clamping device comprising Yacarrier 'in advance of said feeding head having a pair of opposed friction :blocks pvotally connected thereto .and disposed above and below a portion'of said extensible trouglna horizontally disposed link pivotally connected -to said carrieradjacent said friction blocks, compression means interposed be.- tween `the rear end of said link and said feeding ikhead, and manually controlled devices for rock ing said carrier into and out of inclined -clamping position relative to said extensible trough including a link extending between the lower end ofsaid carrier Aand a rockingrnember pivoted'on said feeding head adjacent thebottom thereof, and manual control means for rocking said rockf ing member.

11-. In a feeding head for avjigging conveyer and in combination with an extensible trough,- a-

clamping device comprising a carrier in` advance the upper end of said head including a compres-H sion member, and manually controlled devices, for rocking saidcarrier, with said'link acting as a floatingv fulcrum, into and out of 'inclined clamping position relative to said extensible trough including a link -connected to said carrierv adjacentrthe lower end thereof `and extending.

rearwardly therefrom, 'arookng member pivoted on said feeding member-adjacent the bottom thereof, a connection between said rocking lmember and link, and manual control means-forsaid rocking member. 1M l l z; 12. In a feedingldevice for a jiggingconveyorz and lin combination with anextensible trough, a clamping device comprisingy a carrier in advance of said feeding head having Ya pair of opposed friction,blocksvpivotally connected thereto and disposed above and below a portion of saidextensible trough, manually, operated devices for rocking saidcarrier into and out ofl-inclined clamping position relative to said vextensible trough including a link connected tosaid carrier adjacent the lowerY end thereof and extend-A ing rearwardlyl therefrom, -a rocking member pivoted :ion -said feeding member adjacentthe bottom- `thereof and aconnectionbetween said. rocking member and link, and means for auto-u` maticallyreleasing said blocks from ysaid trough upon overload thereof ony forward movement o f.- said cenveyercomprising--a horizontally disposed linkpivotally connected to said carrier adjacentA said blocks and above said rst mentioned link 'L1 and compressionmeans interposed between the rear end of said link and said head. `13,-In afeeding head for` a jigging conveyer and in combinationfwith an extensible trough,

a pair of gripping.devices comprising a pair of 105 carriers vin advance of said head and on opposite.l sides thereof,l eachzof said carriers having apair of opposed friction blocks disposed above and belowa portion of saidextensible trough,. av pair of horizontally disposed links pvotally connect-y 1 ing said head. andsaid carrier at apoint adja-Y cent said blocks, .a shaft extending .transversely of said head below saidl extensible trough, operatingy levers on said lshaft at Yopposite sides .of said'head, arrnson said shaft at opposite sides,4 l of said head, Aand forwardly extending links con-. necting said arms with the lowerportion of said carrier forrocking the latter into and out of inclined position relative to said trough.

:14. Ina feeding device for a jiggir'ig'conveyer 1 and in combinationwithlan extensible trough, al pairfofclampingfdevices comprising a pair of carriers in ladvance ofsaid feeding head adja' cent opposite sides thereof`,.each of saidclamp ing devices having a pair vof opposed friction blocks pvotally connected thereto vand disposed aboveandbelow a :portion ofA said extensible;

trough, manually controlled devices forrockingr saidA carriers into andy out; of inclined clamping, position relativeto said extensible trough iii- 1 cluding a,A linkv extending between thelower .end of-each` of saicloarriersv and a rocking member pivoted on said feeding head beneath saidfco'nV Veyer trough, and means 4for releasingsaid blocks from said trough upon overload thereofon Vforward movement ofsaid conveyor. comprisinga. horizontally disposed link pvotally connected to each of `said carriers adjacent said blocks.` andV above said first mentioned links and compression means interposedbetween thel Arear, end of said l linksfandsaid head. Y GEORGE QERNSBARGER. 

